Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) has introduced a new after sales initiative at its dealerships called the Volkswagen Expert programme, aimed at improving the brand’s customer satisfaction. The scheme is part of the series of measures the company announced last month as a show of commitment to owners.

VGM has brought in 10 Volkswagen Experts (certified master technicians from Germany) who will provide training and development for the local after sales service staff at VGM’s dealerships across the country, as well as help troubleshoot any unresolved technical issues on customer cars.

The experts – some with as much as 25 years of experience in servicing Volkswagens – will tour selected service centres on a two-week rotation, starting in Klang Valley before moving on to the rest of the country. The move is not expected to be permanent; instead, the German technicians aim to develop the local staff to be self-sufficient, able to provide consistent higher levels of quality service independently in the long run.

“Volkswagen Malaysia will continue to invest on training and development of the technicians at all authorised dealerships to enhance the after sales service experience,” said VGM managing director Armin Keller.

“These well-trained and experienced technicians will play a vital role in providing highest standard of service to customers and support the dealerships by educating their service technicians and encouraging them to gain knowledge and purse new skills,” he added.

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

What you fail to understand is that everything needs experience. No matter how well trained these mechanics are from college, they don’t have experience with VWs. In Germany, new mechanics learn from their masters (like these 10 that were brought in), and they work under their master as apprentice for several years. That’s how they learn. They see what their master is doing to fix the problems, things they might not have learned in school, and they gain experience with this particular model.

Malaysian mechanics may not be stupid, but they are inexperienced. My Malaysian Renault mechanic knows most problems just by the description of them, and he knows ways to fix some of them cheap. That comes from working on these cars for years, and having learned from the masters before him. Now he has his own apprentice it seems, whom he is teaching.

VW wants, and needs to do this on a large scale. Maybe there is a different way to treat the DSG units, maybe there is a fix that doesn’t require replacing the whole gearbox, etc., and some mechanics need to be taught that so that they can spread it to their colleagues.

Same thought here, so for the last 4 years, our local technicians were…?

Another thing VW should consider doing, is to implement a system where data from every service is stored not on the local side, but on the Volkswagen AG server side. One of the benefits is that Volkswagen AG can easily check what these local people are doing, and monitor cases which have a lot of problems. Ie if a technician flags a car as having an issue, immediately VAG can look into the service details, diagnostic transcripts and suggest solutions to the local techs to consider to try and see.

And, our local dealers must not be shy to report issues, reporting issues doesn’t mean they are not doing their job, it means that they are concerned about service quality. Our Malaysian mentality is to say everything is OK even when you have a TSI engine failing and a slipping DSG transmission. I noticed BMW uses this, where the service can only be opened once the key is inserted into the PC and the data is directly transmitted to BMW AG. When a local dealer was trying to solve a big screw up they did to a friend’s BMW (the key records everything the service technician does and also what check control notifications happen when the owner is driving, like average speed, top speed, warning events including seatbelt and hood open when driving issues), because the data cannot be altered and BMW AG had immediate access to the data, BMW AG instructed the dealer to do the repairs at the cost of the dealership. Made dealing with BMW fast and easier since the data is there.

Toyota has stored all the service data long time ago. The service data since the first service of my car in 2006 still can be traceable. So call the “continental” car VW didn’t do that? Next time, stop calling Toyota sushi car, u should call VW the Khinzir car.

What do pigs have to do with Germany? Toyota (and other Japanese cars) are called sushi because that’s the food associated with Japan just like how kimchi is used to refer to Korean cars because of its association with Korean cuisine. For German cars, I think something like sauerkraut is more appropriate.

normally, it is expected from HQ to provide expertise to the local staff as part of building skills in their product. when they announce something like this, you know and i know that something wrong with the current methodology. just by showing some mat salleh holding torchlight and playing with solitaire in car and office do not cut it.

The good ones already run away after getting enough experience because of peanut pay and tired of being screamed at by customers everyday. Whatever technical guys left at VW service centers are the psycho types and the blur fellas who cannot get job elsewhere.

Training the psychos and the blur fellas are not going to make any difference to the VW image..

Well, people here just enjoy twist the story and start to create with their new story. Sending technical down to KL, basically it doesn’t means local technician is lousy, just they need improvement. I believe VW doing this for their future plan.. These Germany expert is to assists them to do a better job in future.

Porsche if not mistaken has a representative froom the principal for some time in Glenmarie while Jaguar and Land Rover has a Technical Manager based in Thailand that helps to sort out all related issues as necessary.

Bro, you have to understand the whole process. There are mechanics everywhere but specialist not much. Just like when you go and see a doctor, they have normal doctor and specialist doctor. Normal doctors got a lot, but when they can’t solve something beyond their capability, they refer to the specialist..and specialist can’t just jump in..they need to make a plan, come up with a solution and then only execute it..same goes to VW.. You can’t do anything without planning properly..that’s y it takes time..btw, i am a VW owner as well..at least they are trying to solve customers problem..

good move , one of the benefits of taking over the entire operation…sometimes u cant blame local technicians when they dont get the tools and training required to do their jobs….but this move takes time to for it to take effect…its not gonna be the best Service Center overtime

spoke to an ex service advisor who practically left vw because cant take the pressure from large amounts of warranty claims and angry customers, morale extremely low and likely vw is trying to do something about that and retaining good technician is difficult. Contis are generally problematic as they always get top marks in the least reliable product category in consumer reports.

Actually VW in germany are quite reliable. It is everywhere especially the Passat Estate wagon.

The car maintenance is expensive over there.

Most of the continental car are reliable which includes the French car.

So why here we received so many complains? Well it might be due to

1. Low QC check during the assembly
2. Third Party vendors
3. After sales Service center – I believe at least the head technicians are trained and should be able to coach others
4. Weather – high temperature and humidity

Mh. I do think there is a difference in reliability between brands (actually it’s more like models and model years… every year makes a difference as newly launched cars can have problems that are fixed quietly in future revisions), but the difference is so small that it hardly matters.

Servicing interval for Japanese cars is much shorter in Europe, which helps fixing cars before the problem gets serious. That surely helps them.

Also, VW had some massive quality issues in the mid 00’s, especially with cars coming from one factory in Germany (they mostly made the Touran, and it showed). They have worked on that though, newer cars should be fine.

4. Weather – high temperature and humidity => this is how it is in malaysia. Other manufacturer can climatize their model to suits malaysian weather. Why VW didn’t rectify this issue and issue improvement? rather than workaround of using mineral oil to delay the problem.

Look at CVT issue – for malaysia market other car manufacturer have to include additional oil cooler just to cope with malaysian weather.

Until VW really fixed this – government also need to help customer in pressuring VW to resolve the issue or recall it all..! if not.. forever customer in m’sia is treated like stupid only.
Those who think they can live with the problem.. go lah and buy… ! free grey hair for you!(for all the hassle and trouble)

It’s disappointing to see the many negative reactions towards positive news. People need to rise above the line and provide opportunity for a brand to improve. The question we need to ask ourselves is this. Do you or do you not want VW to improve in M’sia? If you do, then give them a chance. If you don’t, then stop whining in every forum they are a shitty brand and not improving. Same goes to Proton.

I am also a VW owner and my car suffered juddering as well. Am I happy? Of course I wasn’t happy, but I chose to give them a chance to improve. It has inconvenienced me to send my car into their SC but I’m giving them a chance to fix the problem for me. So when I read the news above, I felt positive rather than negative as this is a sign VW wants to improve.

It’s your choice and it’s your right if you want to continue whining about it. Be my guest, but I hope you can save yourself some decency back by not fooling around with my nick. It’s vagine, not vagina. Pls spell and type it correctly.

or you think VW should close shop and your RM200,000 fly away for nothing.
Come mon, VW is doing something now! if u think you can afford to lose RM200,000, then you can sell the car off.. other there are still many people the owe Volkswagen still hoping for the best

On the contrary, I wish I could get a full refund before the value of my Volkswagen Cockroach flies away. But I admire your courage for “hoping for the best”, while Gustav at VW HQ is smacking your WeeWe around while laughing because he doesn’t give a sauerkraut.

unfortunately many people have spent their hardworking money for a car that should have been properly tested.In reality these components were faulty to begin with and no technician in the world that can keep putting bandaid hoping that it goes away. The root of the problem is poor manufacturing quality or defective design.

No need fix the DSG gearbox.Take it out from the car. Just get the ZF 8 speed auto and plonk into the existing models will do. It is smooth shifting and no juddering problem. I dont hear BMW having so much transmission issue than VW. Or just give consumers a choice to swap to a manual transmission for much more reliable option.

VW Group, What take you so long to send technician over? You own Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda and Volkswagen, earning so much but no money to send your technician over? Meh…

I would argue our market is a unique one with respect to the wide spectrum of driving conditions.

We have massive traffic jams in the superhot and humid conditions where the car crawls, and places where cars are driven at vmax on highways in which both are massive challenge to cool the drivetrain. And our drivers have little mechanical sympathy in general.

VW just have to consider testing their product further in the Malaysian condition before launching them.

This is a good and much needed move, but it’s way too late. Why wasn’t this done 5 years ago? With continuous visits every now and then? It seems like the previous chef just sat there and enjoyed his life, not bothering about helping the brand grow in a sustainable way. Just quick sales, that’s all.

I do think it’s good that they do this training on the job, hopefully when there is a difficult case all the mechanics are gathered around to watch how the master diagnoses and fixes it. That way they know how to look next time.

Like you i support their move as well. It seems they are interested to fix their tarnished image. However, it’s always arguable why they didn’t do this earlier. Never ending debate. Why don’t a father send his son earlier for tuition classes so he would have scored much earlier? Why don’t we sanction flight paths across war zones earlier so that tragedies will not happen? There’s no point rewinding, but much point in asking what next we should do.

Exactly, Vagina. You can’t ‘rewind’ time, that’s why I can’t sell my bloody Volkswagen Cockroach now that the damage has been done. Or maybe you want to give me a chance and buy it from me? I didn’t think so.

It’s normal for VW to now announce a PR/damage control strategy. But what results will it produce? No one knows.
( You sound like a person who gets excited over ‘announcements’ instead of results. Does the ‘paper lama’ and ‘ais krim’ bells and announcements get you excited in the evenings? )

But what we do know is this, for 5 years VW has been bullying us because they thought we would always forgive them no matter what they did or rather didn’t do. So the way forward, is for VW to compensate us for all our losses. Instead VW expects us to just bear the losses and forgive them FOC. Nice try, but I wasn’t born a billionaire like Vagina. I had to work hard for every penny and take out a loan.
The least we should do is warn others so they won’t have to bear the losses like we did for 5 years.

And unfortunately, you can see this pattern in Malaysia in general, consumers are not standing up for their rights enough, instead they just bear the losses and look forward to the next loss.

well, I believe when VW bring in the car to Malaysia. They dun expect to have all this problem occur la! Understand you did loses
Well, look at another side. Do you know VW spend for the claimed? How can you say VW is bullying us? Did they run away from the claim? No right?! look at 2 side la sometimes..

I’m looking at your comments from 10 sides but still don’t understand your Engrish. You must be a naughty boy who didn’t even pay attention during your primary school English class and you want us to take you seriously? If I were your mom I would beat your backside.

I see your point Vagina, how silly of me.
When someone screws you for 5 years, you shouldn’t get angry. VW loves you and you should not hate them. Would they screw you for 5 years if they hated you? No they love you and you should love them back.

In fact, I can hear Gustav calling you, and he wants you to “bend over”.

I’m sorry VW screwed you big time over the 5 years. But who’s that dumb to continue let VW screw and screw and screw until your a*hole is as big as a football? Pity you. No wonder you’re mad. And yet you still continue to let VW screw you as we speak. How dumb. Never have I met someone like you.

there so many cyber trooper here employed by other car brand just to bash vw , simply say vw car gearbox can not be used at all in Malaysia, built quality equal to Proton , proton car is better than vw , as if every vw car is defective , don’t even justify their statement with facts , is ther any hidden propaganda

For god sake ! So many jealous sial here.. At least vw are listening and taking one step forward to solve all issues. It takes time ! This is not an overnight job! The sales for vw were suddenly increased 2 years ago. Vgm never expected that. At least MD has promised to open more service centre and offer courtesy car asap. What more u guys want ? See other japs and local brand, when you complain, do u think they will bother and send technician over all the way from Germany? NO way man!!! So stop whinging and don’t be jealous !!

P/s – I am not VW salesman, in fact I just got a Vw golf mk7 booked ! VW well done and I am looking forward more from you !!

Jealous? if stakat VW.., forget lah! In fact I will clap my hand for you brah! bravo! for braving the brand.

It’s not just about jealousy.. people can more than afford to buy just about any other brand. It is VW that are selling lemon car in malaysia and still not taking responsibility in all their faulty gearbox they keep selling in malaysia.
It’s also about govt ‘tidak apa’ attitude.. close one eye.. and didn’t hear and take any action towards malaysian consumer complaint! People are still suffering from faulty product that VW are selling! action need to taken to protect consumers interest.

Ok VW try to move forward and provide solution for vw car owner with DSG Problems…My Opinion they do this because their sales drop 50% for 2014 and the director even make statement apologizing to all owners with DSG issue and rest assured the DSG issue is now no more for new VW car.

Anyone beleive this crap? Took them how many years to even admit this DSG issues and suddenly MAGIC all is ok Now..just my 2 cents lor

sales drop is not the matter. Thanks gods .Volkswagen didnot close and cabut.. still sending expert down to KL to solve the problem.
Well, if you own a VW car.. you should know.. other wise I dun believe u know

Mr. VW, what about Sarawak and Sabah ??? No need to send these Master Technicians over here to HELP ah ? Your Service Centres in Sarawak and Sabah are useless and hopeless !!! Everything , have to refer to KL and cannot answer or repair.

bro. you cancel you Passat TSI book?? dun talk crab la! i doubt you afford to buy Passat la!
if service centre no car only then you get worry.. if there is car in service centre then it prove they are doing something… dun talk rubbish here

Even if I have to money also, i will do my homework and after getting enough information.. surely I will also cancel my booking. I have gone shopping before.., really like the driving experience, but looking at how many frustrated comments and meeting few of the owner itself., I don’t think it’s worth my hard earned money to spend hours , days.. months just to ensure the car didn’t stall on the road.

thanks but no thanks. VW should instead offer manual transmission for some of the model as an option to the infamous problematic DSG.

Well, they arrival could cool down a few unhappy VW customers with DSG, quality of service and trying to build consumer confidence. I wish the best to their achievements, and message they want to convey should be firm and commitment to long term support to Malaysia. DSG stigma will be in consumer minds of VW. Erase this stigma you have rebuild yourself.

Hahaha you make me laugh Mr. BacksideCoin, “a few unhappy VW customers”? I bet you skipped primary school math class.
And from your Engrish, you sound just like the junior mechanic I met, who failed his primary school English, but somehow ended up working at the VW service center. No wonder you guys ca’t fix my VW Cockroach, you probably can’t even read the car manual or diagnostics.

There are so many complains here about VW specially the DSG and Megatronic….but I don’t see anyone indicating the year of the car purchased….don’t tell me not even a good comment from owners??? I tested the 2014 Jetta…it was really good….

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